Universal feed-table.



No. 734,685. j PATENTED JULY 28, 1903. H. P. ELWELL.

UNIVERSAL FEED TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1903. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

No. 734,685. PATENTED JULY 28, 1903i.

H. P. ELWELL.

UNIVERSAL FEED TABLE.

. APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1903. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET Y figa/arroz FEZu/ZZ ,156

Rs co. Pnoaurno.. wAsuwcToN n c .said tracks, and plate-rollers'fjournaled uponV UNITED STATES Patented July 28, 1903.

PATENT Ormes.

HOWARD P. ELWELL, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO FORE RIVERSHIP AND ENGINE COMPANY, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

UNIVERSAL FEED-TABLE.

LSECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 734,685, dated J' uly 28, 1903.

VApplication filed May 14, 1903.

T0 @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, HOWARD P. ELWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Quincy, in the county of Norfolk and Stale of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Universal Feed-Tables, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to an improved feedtable particularly adapted to be used in connection with a power-punch, and has for its object the accurate and easy handling of large plates of sheet metal or bars of different cross-sections--such as angle-irons, channelirons, T-irons, and the like-whereby said sheets of metal or bars may be easily and accurately brought into a correct position with relation to a punch or other metal-working machine, so that holes previously marked upon the surface of the plate may be punched in said plate with accuracy and speed.

In the drawings and specification I have illustrated and described my invention as particularly adapted for use with' a powerpunch; but it isf evident that the same may be used vin connection With an upright drill or in connection with any tool Where the handling of a large sheet of metal or bars is necessary.

The invention `consists in a universal feedtable comprising a frame, tracks extending transversely of saidframe, trucks arranged to travel independently of each other upon said trucks and arranged to rotate in verti? cal planes extending transversely to said tracks. The invention further consists in a device of the characterdescrihed, of a carriage comf prising a carrier-frame with truck-wheels journaled thereon, together with vertical plate-rollers journaled uponsaid carrierframe in parallel planes at right angles to the planes in which said "truck-wheels are located. e The invention finally consists in the com# bination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims thereof.

Referring to the drawings,`Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved universal feed-table, the saine being shown in connection with a power-punch, a plate of sheet Serial No. 157,187. (No model.)

l metal upon the table, and the figures of four men handling the plate and operating the punch for the purpose of illustrating the man-4 ner in Which the apparatus is operated. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a feed-table constructed in accordance with my invention, the frame of a power-press being illustrated in connection therewith in outline. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a portion of my improved feed-table as viewed from the right of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail end elevation of one of the carrier-frames. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of one of said carrier-frames. Fig. 6 is a detail end elevation of one of the rollerbearings as applied to a truck-wheel or plateroller. Fig. 7 is a detail section taken on line A A of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail plan of one of the legs of the frame, showing the same as applied to one corner of the frame. Fig. 9 is a detail front elevation `of one of the llegs of the frame, showing the same in connection with its supporting-sleeve, base, and a portion of one corner of the frame, the latter parts being shown in section. Fig. lO is an end elevation of a portion of my improved feed-table, illustrating the same arranged for handling bars of T-iron.

In the drawings, 12 is a4 stationary frame of any desirable construction, but preferably formed of sheet metal and angle-irons riveted together, substantially as shown. A series of parallel tracks 13 13, formed of channeliron, extend transversely of the framel2^and are fastened thereto. Upon each of the tracks 13 atruck 14 is arranged to travel lengthwise thereof, said trucks each consisting of a series of carriages 15, connected to eachother by a shaft 16 and adjustable with relation to each other upon said shaft 16 by means of set-screws 2O 20. Y

The carriages 15 15 each comprise a car rior-frame 17, having two holes 18 and19 extending therethrough in planes at right angles to each other. The shaft 16 extends longitudinally of the tracks 13 and through each of the holes 18 in the carrier-frames 17 17 17 and is adjustably fastened to each of said carrier-frames by set-screws 20. The hole 19 extends through the carrier-frame 17 in a plane at right angles to the hole 18, through Which'the shaft 16 extends, and in each of the holes 19 is fastened a transverse truckshaft 21. Upon each end of the truck-shafts 21 is journaled a truck-wheel 22, the periphery of the wheel being grooved at 23 to run upon the vertical iianges of the channel-iron tracks 13.

Upon the shaft 16 plate-rollers 24 are journaled, said plate-rollers being arranged to rotate upon the shaft 16 and prevented from moving lengthwise of said shaft by the carrier-frame 17 upon one side and by the collars 25 upon the other side thereof, said collars being fastened by set-screws 41 to the shaft 16.v The central carrierframe of each of the trucks has two plate-rollers thereon, the end carrier-frames being providedwith one plate-roller.

It will be seen that when the plate of metal 26 to be punched is placed upon the platerollers 24 said plate may be easily moved lengthwise ofthe frame 12, and that when it is desired to move the plate lengthwise of the transverse tracks 13 the wheels 22 will roll upon the tracks 13 and allow the plate to be moved transversely of the frame 12, it being understood that each of the trucks 14 consists of carriages 15 1515, and that said trucks may be moved lengthwise ot' the tracks independently of each other, stops 40 40 being provided at each end of the transverse tracks 13 to prevent the trucks 14 from moving beyond the opposite ends of said tracks. Thus it will be seen that the plate may be moved easily lengthwise or transversely of the frame and moved with ease and accuracy to any positon desired with relation to the punch 27, it being understood that the punch 27 is located between two of the transverse tracks 13.

In order to raise and lower the frame 12 and bring the under side of the plate 26 to the proper height with relation to the female die 28 of the punch, the frame 12 is provided withvlegs 29, each of which is riveted to said frame and provided with a vertical cylindrical shank 30, which extends downwardly from the frame into a sleeve or pipe 31, embedded in a base 32 of concrete. Upon the top of the sleeve 31 is provided a nut 33, having screw-threaded engagement with the vertical cylindrical shank 30, so that by rotating the nuts 33 the shank 30 and frame 12 may be raised or lowered, as desired.

In order to facilitate the rotation of the truck-Wheels 22 and of the plate-rollers 24,

said wheels and rollers are provided with roller-bearings of any desirable construction, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, in which 34 represents the rolls contained in a chamber 35, formed in the hub of the truck-wheels 22 or of the plate-rollers 24, as the case may be. The rolls 34 are held in the same relative position with relation to each other and out of contact with each other by rings 36, provided with projections 37, said projections projecting into recesses 38, formed in the ends of the rolls 34. The rings 36 are held together by pins 39, e x tending longitudinally of the rolls 34`and riveted at each end to one of said rings.

Previously to the construction of -my improved feed-table it has been the custom to handle large sheets of metal or bars by means of cranes, a large number of men necessarily being employed to guide and support said plate or bars and to place them in proper position with relation to the punch in order that the holes should be punched therein. The largest plate may now be handled and punched by four men, as illustrated in the drawings, Fig. 1, it being obvious that by the combination of the trucks moving transversely of the frame of the table and by the plate rolling upon rollers arranged in vertical planes extending lengthwise of the frame of the machine any motion in a horizontal plane may be obtained which is desired in order to bring the plate to a correct location with relation to the punch.

In Fig. 10 I have illustrated a portion of my improved feed-table With the plate-rollers 24 and carrier-frames 17 adjusted with relation to each other upon the shaft 16, so as to bring the plate-rollers 24 sufficiently near together to support a bar otl steel or iron 42 which is T-shaped in cross-section. It is evident that by adjusting said platerollers 24 bars ot' channel shape in cross-section or angle-irons may be supported upon the periphery of said rolls.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire by Letters Patent to secure, is

1. A universal feed-table comprising a series of parallel tracks, trucks arranged to travel independently of each other upon said tracks, and plate-rollers journaled upon said trucks arranged to rotate in vertical planes extending transversely to said tracks.

2. A universal feed table comprising a frame, tracks extending transversely of said frame, trucks arranged to travel independently of each other upon said tracks, and plate-rollers journaled upon said trucks and arranged to rotate in vertical planes extending transversely to said tracks.

3. A universal feed-table comprising a stationary frame, a series of parallel tracks extending transversely'of said frame, a series of trucks arranged to travel independently of each other upon said tracks, and a series of plate-rollers journaled upon said trucks arranged to rotate in vertical planes extending transversely to said tracks.

4. A universal feed-table comprising a stationary frame, a series of parallel tracks extending transversely of said frame, a series of trucks arranged to travel independently of each other upon said tracks, a series of plate-rollers journaled upon said trucks arranged to rotate in vertical planes extending transversely to said tracks, and means to adjust said frame vertically.

5. In a universal feed-table, a stationary frame, tracks extending transversely thereof, and a series of independent trucks, each of said trucks consisting'of aseries of carriages IIO fastened to each other, each of saidcarriages comprising a carrier-frame and truck-wheels journaled upon said carrier-frame arranged.

carrier-frame and vertical truck-wheels journaled upon' said truck-frame, together with vertical plate-rollers journaled upon said carrier-frame in parallel planes at right angles to the planes in which said truck-Wheels are located.

8. In a universal feed-table, a series of carriages, a shaft fastened to said carriages, each of said carriages comprising a carrier-frame and vertical truck -wheels journaled upon said carrier franje, together with vertical platerollers journaled upon said shaft in parallel planes at right angles to the planes in which said truck-wheels are located.

` 9. A universal feed-table comprising a stationary frame, tracks extending transversely thereof, a series of independent trucks, each of said trucks comprising a carrier-frame and truck -wheels journaled upon said carrierframe arranged to travel upon said tracks,

, together with vertical plate-rollers journaled upon said carrier-frame in parallel planes at right angles to the plan es in which said truckwheels are located; in combination with a punching mechanism located between said tracks. l

l0. In a universal feed-table, a carriage comprising a carrier-frame and truck-wheels journaled upon said carrier-frame, together `with vertical plate-rollers journaled upon said carrier-frame in parallel planes `at right angles to the planes in which said truckwheels are located, and means to adjust said i plate-rollers toward and away from each other.

1l. A universal feed-table com prisinga stationary frame, a series of parallel tracks eX- tending transversely of said frame, a series of trucks arranged to travel independently of each other upon said tracks, a series of plate-rollers journaled upon said trucks arranged to rotate in vertical planes extending transversely to said tracks, means to adjust said frame vertically, said adjusting means consisting of legs fast to said frame, a vertical sleeve surrounding each of said legs and embedded in a stationary base, and a nut located on top of each of said sleeves and having screw-threaded engagement with one of said legs.

Intestimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witmesses.

HOWARD P. ELWELL.

Witnesses:

CHARLES S. GooDING, ANNIE J. DAILEY. 

